Age saves two Masvingo youths jail for bestiality, sex with a minor

Masvingo (New Ziana/Masvingo Star) -A 19-year-old farm hand who was caught having sex with a cow recently escaped jail after the magistrate suspended passing of sentence for five years.

Agreement Mutunje, (19), of Plot 11 Keppure Iram Farm, pleaded guilty to bestiality when he appeared before Masvingo provincial magistrate, Abednico Ndebele.

Mutunje, who had been sent to release the livestock from their pen, was caught by his employer, Tshileje Ndlovu, while committing a sexual act with the cow.

He ran away leaving his clothes in the cattle kraal leading to his arrest the same day after a neighbour reported to the police since the complainant is disabled.

According to the state Mutunje, a domestic servant, went to the pen to release cattle for grazing.

Whilst in the kraal, Mutunje took a rope and tied a black cow with a white face onto a tree which was in the kraal.

Mutunje then went on the back of the cow, removed his clothes in the kraal and started to have sexual intercourse with it.

Ndebele was merciful in that Mutunje was still young and conditionally suspended sentencing for five years.

Cathrine Mazani appeared for the state.

In a separate case, an 18-year-old Chivi man also escaped jail for having sexual intercourse with a minor after the magistrate wholly suspended his three year jail term.

Kudakwashe Mukungunugwa of Madan’ombe village under headman Madyangove was convicted by Chivi magistrate, Takawira Mugabe who sentenced him to three years imprisonment.

Mugabe however suspended Mukungunugwa’s jail term after taking into account that he was a first offender and was still young.

In mitigation Mukungunungwa apologised for his action and indicated that although he knew that his girlfriend was only 15 years, he did not know that it was a crime to engange in sexual intercourse with her.

He asked the court for forgiveness saying he wanted to sit for his Form Four examinations in November this year.

Mukunungwa said he was an orphan on a scholarship which he could not afford to lose as his elderly grandmother would not be able to send him back to school.

For the State, Nathan Zaranyika told the court that sometime in March this year, Mukungunugwa fell in love with a 15-yearold girl and the two engaged in consensual sexual intercourse several times until last June when the girl realised that she was pregnant and eloped to him.

The two lovebirds lived together until sometime last month when the girl’s father took her back home and reported Mukungunugwa to the police.

A medical report produced in court showed that the girl was already three months pregnant.
New Ziana